PORT ORLEANS DISNEY Riverside Resort JAN 05 REVIEW
Written: Jan 22 '05 (Updated Jan 22 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Excellent! Port Orleans shines with everything a resort should have and a competent staff.
Cons: Food court/dining is difficult in quality as well as expensive and very slow.
The Bottom Line: Excellent moderate choice out of all the moderate or economy resorts at Walt Disney World. Impressive!
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| benicia's Full Review: Disneys Port Orleans-French Quarter |
I've stayed at 'The Best' of Disney properties including OLD KEY WEST, SARATOGA SPRINGS and CORONADO SPRINGS. I can't get enough of Walt Disney World and sometimes find myself visiting at least twice a year.
Having said that, I'm also somewhat particular in always staying at a true Disney property or at worst a hotel located at Lake Buena Vista. I refuse to stay outside of the grounds as that fails the true Disney experience.
We just stayed this January 2005 at Disney's PORT ORLEANS / RIVERSIDE resort. This is considered a 'Moderate' property based on Disney's scale of various property locations and resort complexes. In fact PORT ORLEANS consist of two separate Disney properties. One being RIVERSIDE and the other FRENCH QUARTER. They reside on the same grounds within Port Orleans but are very different overall yet both rated 'Moderate'.
I was impressed! In fact very impressed... I was however, fortunate enough to have chosen the RIVERSIDE portion of the resort complex. It was ever so fashionable and realistic. Large 'Mansion-Style' buildings comprise or makeup RIVERSIDE. The grounds are very upscale and various rivers wind their way alongside property walkways. In fact, one asset to either resort is the complimentary/included ferry taxi service to an area called DOWNTOWN DISNEY (shopping, movies and restaurants). Ferries run every 30 minutes until 4:00PM and then operate every 15 minutes apart from 4:00PM until midnight (weather permitting). Take the ferry! It's fun, scenic and it connects with all other Disney buses at Downtown Disney (Disney operates a ton of buses to/from every resort or attraction/park as an included feature).
Port Orleans feels like it is at least 20-30 acres (estimate). That's large and that's important in making sure you are next to a bus stop for the complimentary transportation if you plan on using it. But beware! Some rooms located on the outer edges of the complex face or are alongside a major street that accommodates buses and autos. Avoid the noise.
We stayed in what was called the ACADIAN HOUSE. Our room faced the river but do note that the windows are small and there are no large balconies or porches at Port Orleans. These are indeed motel/hotel rooms in a very resort atmosphere.
The rooms themselves are basic. We had a refrigerator in-room but I've read many of the rooms do not have such. There are a few king-size beds in various rooms but Disney expects families and accommodates most rooms with two doubles/queens. Typical Disney. Cute, fun and very comfortable and clean. Yet, amenities such as room service, high-speed internet access or outside television stations (a few but limited) are at a minimum because you are in fact hopefully spending money at the theme parks or elsewhere within Disney itself. Don't get too comfortable in your room or Disney will loose money... Yet, the grounds and amenities outside of your room justify the 'resort' experience and in fairness to Disney, they are wonderful if such is your choice.
You will find at Riverside 'basic' dining needs. Really basic... Riverside has a bar/lounge called 'River Roost', as well as a full sit down restaurant called 'Boatswright's Dining Hall'. Add to that a food court called 'Riverside Mill' where there are various food stations with very basic food. It's food but not much more. Junk food in style and nutrition at best. Yet again in fairness, better than most other properties outside of the Disney complex or grounds of Walt Disney World.
Multiple pools will make the kids very happy you chose Riverside! Ol'Man Island houses a great (GREAT) area for the kids with waterslides, jacuzzi spas and an actual 'FISHING HOLE' (you pay and must toss them back in). Ol'Man Island houses a bar called 'Muddy Rivers' so that adults can get a break from those rugrats that will almost certainly want to swim all day!
There is also a 'General Store' onsite with everything you'd need in terms of snacks, foods, drinks and of course Disney gifts to take home of course.
Also note that on-site bike rentals, boat rentals and laundry service are standard amenities at both 'Riverside' and 'French Quarter' resorts within PORT ORLEANS.
We did walk down and into the other resort called 'French Quarter' which in our opinion did not qualify for a MODERATE rating. This complex needed refurbishment whereas 'Riverside' was shinning in every respect.
Finally and again worth mention is that this entire resort complex sits alongside 'The Sassagoula River'. This massive river stretches all the way from 'Riverside' down and into 'Downtown Disney'. You'll feel like this is really New Orleans or at least a Mississippi river city. That again reminds and demands that you utilize the river ferry taxi service. It's free! It's fun! It's a cruise lasting approx; 20 minutes and will take you to some of the better restaurants in Downtown Disney (avoid Wolfgang Pucks...again, avoid Wolfgang Pucks at Downtown Disney); including the new EARL OF SANDWICH (great salads and sandwiches and just a boat ride away).
Do your homework! Shop Disney packages and off-season deals. If you can stay Sunday thru Friday, you'll save. Go to various websites including WWW.WALTDISNEYWORLD.COM and the ever proficient WWW.EXPEDIA.COM. Compare, compare and compare.
PORT ORLEANS RESORT
Riverside
French Quarter
WWW.WALTDISNEYWORLD.COM
407 939-6244 (reservations center)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
benicia
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 - Top 500 |
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Location: San Francisco, CA
Reviews written: 66
Trusted by: 3 members
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